Needle-making machine.



J. L. NEEDHAIVI.

NEEDLE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25. 1912.

Patented Nov.

5 SHEETS-SHEET iiwrmm 1. L. NEEDHAM.

NEEDLE'MAKING MACHINE.

mwm

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26 I917.

27, 1 5 SHEETSSHEET Patented Nov.

' z vmfib v g/ UZ, fl/ewzww,

,d ww

J. L. NEEDHAM.

NEEDLE MAKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN-26,1917- .LMJLMW' Patented Nov. 27, 1917.

. v. u? 3 I 5 :26"

l 27 milllllllllllllm if 25 p J. L. NEEDHAM.

NEEDLE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION men JAN-26.1%].

7h l m H 7 2% 4 m d5 L s H n0 b & Di

Jenn 1\TEnnr-1AM, or CHICAGO. ILLINOIS,

nnrrnrseams arnnr enric SSIGNOR TO THE BOYE NEEDLE COMEANY,

' I or]cnroiiieogitn itois.e'oonroieeriolv or tr mmers.

MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Ifatent.

liatented Nov. 27, 191i 7.

Application filed January 26, 1.917. Serial No. 1%,577.

Chicago, in the county ofGook and State of Illinois, have invented a newand useful Improvement in. Needle ldaking h/Iachines,

the upper portions ofFigs. 10 and 11; and 16, a fragmentary view, showing the of which .the following is a specification.

This invention [relates part cularly to needle-making machines and the primary object is to provide improved machine which is especially useful in themanufacture of crochet needles.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, inwhich' t Figure 1 represents a front el-evati onal view of a needle-making machine constructed in accordance with the invention, the drivinewheel being shown. brokenly'; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken as indicated at lineZ of Fig. 1 and showing the detail of the friction device which is used for elevating and depressing a shiftable needle carrier; Flg. 3,

a horizontal sectional view taken as indicated at l1ne8 of Flg. 1;; Flg. aha broken sectional 'view parallel Wlhll thefront side of the machine, the section being taken as indicated at line 4: of Fig. 3; Fig. 5', a

broken sectional view inthe sameplane as Fig. 4:, but showingthe upper dies; Fig. 6,

a broken sectional yiew slmilar to Fig. i,

but showing the needle carrier in depressed position, whereas Fig. 4 shows thesame in "elevated position}; Fig. 7, a mertical sectional view. through the bed plate ot the machine and perpendicular tothe front side.

of the machine, the section being taken at line 7 of Fig. 3; Fig. 8,.abroken sectional view taken atline 8 of Fig. 3,;and showing the needle carrier associated ,withthefi nislr inp; die of the machine 3 Fig. 9, a broken side elevational view of. the machine, theview being taken as indicated at line 9 of Fig. 1; Fig. 10, a broken lower face View of the upper die-plate and the diescarried thereby;

Fig. 11, a broken plan view ofthe lower clieplate and the diescarriedthereby; Fig. 12,

'an enlarged vertical sectional yiew illustrating the first lioolcforming operation, this operation being performed by. the. dies shown near the lower portions Figs. 10

and 11; Fig. 13, a broken viewv of the operative end of. the crochetneedle after the first hook-forming operation;;. 1g. 1%,- a.

view. illustrating the manner in which the w ebwithin thehook is removed by the dies d rectly opposite Fig. let in Figs. 1O and 11;

Fig. 15,.."a view oftheoperative end of the crochet needle after the trimming operation performed by the dies which are shown near reduced end portion of the blank from which the operative end ofthe crochetlneedl is formed, starting with the operation illus trated in Figs. 12 andlZ-B. i

vanced, step by step, and die to die iirthe normal operation, three blanks, at ditt'erent stages of completion, be ng operated upon by the dies at each descent. of theupper crosshead.

The upper cross-head carries a depending cam whichactuates a slide that oscillates a horizontal lever which operates a forwardly and rearwardly moving slide. Thelast mentionedslide is equippedivith a pair of forks (Fig. 7) which engage laterally-projecting studs with which the needle -cari'ier or transferring device isequipped. Theneedlecarrier is shifted forwardly and rearwardly by the last mentioned slide, and is raised and loweredby means of a crosshead (Figsfi and 7), said cross-head being actuated by the arm carried by a stem? operated by the friction device carried by the upperdieplate, as illustrated in Figs. l and Thus, the needle-carrier rises, lifts the needle from the stationary jaws with which the bed-plate is equipped, shifts the needles rearwardly totheir newposition, is

lowered, makes a forward movement, and

ried by the cross-head ll,

l V stationary needle-holder carried by the bedfixedly secured to the bed-plateA and dis posed parallel with the die-block D; F, a

plate A and disposed a short distance from the die-block D, the member F being pro.- vided with a series of needle-receiving slots, and thus affording stationary needle-holding jaws; F a stationary needle support, fixedly mounted on the guide-block E and having a series of slots or jaws corresponding with the slots of the member F; G, a needle-carrier, or' needle-transferring device which is free to be'lifted and depressed and also to be moved forwardly and back, the carrier G being disposed between the guide-block E and the stationary needleholder F; H (Fig. 7), a slide through the medium of which the carrier G is moved forwardly and rearwardly, the slide H being actuated by a horizontally-disposed lever H mounted on the bed-plate; I, a vertically movable horizontal bar with which the carr er G has tongue and groove connection, permitting the carrier to move forward and back, notwithstanding the bar I is capable only of being raised and lowered by parallel movement; P, a cross-head connected by bolts with the bar I, said bolts extending through perforations in the bed-plate A 1 an arm carrying the cross-head I 1 a vertical stem which carries the arm I and which has telescopic connection with a friction device I surmounting one end of the bed-plate B to which it is fixedly secured; and J, a forwardly and rearwardly movable slide which serves to actuate the lever H the slide J being equipped with a cam-member J (Fig. 9) which is actuated by a cammember J 2 carried by the upper die-plate B As appears from Figs. 10 and 11, the lower and upper die-blocks D, D are equipped with pairs of dies, K, K and L, L and M, M these pairs of dies serving, in the order named, to accomplish the results illustrated, respectively, in Figs. '18, 14 and 15.

As has been indicated, the blanks for the crochet needles N are preparatorily formed in a suitable swaging machine or swaging machines, in which preparatory operations the blanks are provided with a flattened portion 1 and a reduced extremity 1, the hook of the crochet needle being afterward formed in the present machine by operating upon the free extremity of the reduced portion 1 of the needle-blank.

The frame A of the machine may be of any desired construction, and the cross-head B may be operated by any suitable mechanism. Preferably the machine is of ordinary press construction, and, preferably. the bed-plate A inclines rearwardly and downwardly somewhat. while the guides for the cross-head B incline upwardly and rearwardly somewhat so as to be at right angles trolled by a foot-lever (not shown).

to the bed-plate. The inclination mentioned is not illustrated, however. Thelpulley C runs loose onthe shaft 0, but may be coupled'to the shaft through the medium of the clutch G which may be i cfiilie bed-plate A is fitted with upwardly-extending guide-posts 2 and 3 which extend through guide-perforations with which the die-plate B is provided. The die-block D is fitted with depending guide-pins A and 5 which work through perforations 4 and 5" in the die-block D, as indicated in Fig. 3.

The die-block D is securely fastened to the bed-plate A by any suitable means (not shown) alsothe die-block D is securely at tached to the moving die-plate B by suitable securing means (not shown).

The guide-block E is firmly secured to the bed-plate A and is equipped on the side adjacent the needle-carrier Gr, with guides 6 provided with slots 7 in which the bar portions 7 of the carrier G .are confined (Fig. 7), these slots 7 being ofsuflicient vertical depth to permit up and down movement of the carrier G, the carrier being capable of forward and rearward movement, also.

The stationary needle support F, which also afiords a guide-wall for one portion of the carrier G, presents a vertical surface opposed to the inner lateral face of the guide-block E and spaced a suflicient distance therefrom to accommodate the carrierG. The carrier Gr comprises, in addition to the bar 7 whose ends are reduced to per mit vertical movement in the slots 6 of the guide-member 7, a plurality of U-shaped mmbers 8, 9 and 10 (Figs; 6 and 7), which, as shown in Fig. 7, have one set of their arms firmly attached to the bar T of the carrier, 7

the other set of arms bearing against the adjacent surface of the stationary member F. The upper ends of the arms of the carrier members 8, 9 and 10 are provided with slots 11-, adapted to accommodate needles.

The stationary member F is provided in its upper edge-portion with vertical slots 12. These slots, as well as the slotsll of the adjacent armsof the carrier, are narrow and adapted to receive the flattened portions 1 of the needle-shafts. The stationary needlesupporting member F is a U-shaped member mounted on the guide-block E. The

outer flange is of sufficient height 'to afford plate A is equipped with a pair of upthe bar 7-? otthe carrierG.

V 1Wardlyextending forkslG (Fig, 7)- which engage studs 17 which project laterally from The horizontal portion of theslide H is provided on its upper surface with a stud;

18 which is engaged bythetorked end of the} lever H which extends over the horizontal portion of saidnien ber H. The lever H is a i the plate 13 Thedevice 1 comprises pivotally connected with the bed-plate A i by a screw bolt 19 which has a flanged upper end (Fig. 6).

nectionis fitted with depending 5 pins 20 which pass through perforations in the bed-a The vertically. movable bar I, with which" the bar T ottheacarrier G hasslidingcon-a tion through ineedle tln'ough vthe female die 3Q, in which operati(- n the portion of the web exterior to the hook is sheared off. The die M is shown equipped with a guide-member 31 having two forks provided with upturned flanges 1 31? separatedby a space adapted to guide theliook portion of the needle to the die, as

the needle is lowered. A similar guide may be provided for the die L, if desired.

. As z lhpears troiniFig. i, the die L, the die-block D, and the bed-plate A are prorided with a vertical channel or perforawhich the materials tri nniied from the needle in this operation plate andihave their lower ends firmly se-a cured tothevcrosshead 1 The cross-headg P, as appears from Fig. 6, iscarried by the arm I which is firmly secured to the vertis cal moving stem I As appears froniiFigs.

1 and 2, the, stem 1 has telescopic connec- 1 01011VVltlltllGlEPlQtlOll device I mounted on split .barrel 21 provided ,with clamping screws 22,-the'b0re of the barrel 21 being fitted with friction material 23. Byl this form of slip-joint connection, the friction between the stem I and the barrel 21 may be regulated at will.

.The slide J moves in a guide-slot in the bed plate being confined therein by guideblocks 24. The upwardly-projecting arm.

or stem J of the slide J is provided with a am-slot having an inclined intermediate portion 25, a vertical upperportion 26, and a vertical lower portion 27. The member J carried by the cross-head of the plate B is equipped with a stud or roller 28 which works in the cam-slot.

As appears from Figs. 10'and 11, the dies K and i K are provided with recesses which are of such shape as to produce the contour of the hook 1 of. the crochet needle. In

=.These dies. are adapted toremove thEttwPOI .the hook, while therremainder of the web 1 tion of the finwhich is within the hook, in

the manner illustrated in Fig. 14:.- This operatlon can be performed without inpiring serves to strengthen-the hook.

Thereafter, the remainder of the fin 1 is a removed by the dies M'and M For this purpose,- the die M is providedwith a recess orperforation which corresponds in shape with the hook shown in Fig. 15 and the die a ineuiber F.

.aredischarged. In their travel through the 1 machine, the crochetsneedles are engaged by s1 ring-hold pressureanember 33, carried by a spring-arm 33 \;vh1ch, as appears from F1 and 7 is carried by a bracket-member 33 mounted on the bedsplate A The tune 'tion 01 the spring-hold pressure-member 33 is to insurethe proper seating of the crochet needles in the jaws-of the carrier or the stationary jaws, asthe case may be.

ll hen the needle blank is inserted by the operator in the first pair of stationary jaws, the operator takes iare to have the end of the shank o't'the needle heal-against the rear flange of the holder F To aid in holding the needleblank in its first position, there is provided a spring-jaw or gripper 3a (Figs. Eland 7) which is mounted on the front guide-block 6.

As has beenindicated,the operator, in inserting the 1199(11Qrb1il111i, takes care that the base end of the shank hearsagainst the rear flange otthe combiinition guide and holder F To insure such contact at the other points of operation there are provided vertical lea'flsprings 35 and 36 (Figs. 3 and 6) whose upper ends are disposed opposite the slots 12 oft the stationary needle'holder or The lower ends of the springs are securely attached to a block 37 secured. to the bed-plate. The upper ends are curved rearwardly somewhat and adapted to engage the lower edges of the flattened vertical portions 1 of the needles, as appears from Fig. 6, so that when the needles are lowered into the slots 12 and 13 of the stationary jaws as the carrier descends preparatory .to making a forward movement the pressure oi the pressure-member Wlll serve to cause the upperends of the springs to move rea-rwardly somewhat, so that the needle will be shifted rearwardly or maintained in contact with the rear flange oi the stationary holder and guide-member F.

It hasbeen explained that in the final trnnming operat1o1nthe needle is forced dmvnwardly into the hook-shaped opening 30 of the female die M. To Hit the needle r M is provided .witha punch 30 which cor- :responds in shape-with the shape of the hook; The punch 30 isadapted to force the".

again, there is providedlFig. 8) a tappet v 38 extends through the die-block B and bedplate A and is actuated by an arm '39 car- 'lled by the cross-head I (Figs. 6 and 7).

It should be explained that the horizontal lever H is provided with a rounded head 40 which ei'igages a slot 41 with which the slide J is provided, so that the lever H will be oscillated about its pivot 19 as the slide J reciprocates; also that the slide H which reciprocates the carrier G forwardly and rearwardly is confined in the guide-slot 15 0f the bed-plate by guide-block 42, which is secured to the bed-plate by screws 43 (Figs. 3 and t) and, finally, that the upper dieblock D is equipped with a spring-held stripper M (Fig. 5), through which the punches work.

Briefly, the operation is as follows: The operator sets the machine in motion by depressing the releasing member of the clutch (l ,'which couples the shaft C with the dr ing-pulley C The operator places the preparatorily-formed needle-blanks, one at a time, in the first set of jaws or slots 12 and 13 of the stationary needleholders F and F In inserting the needle-blank it is pressed by the operator into the spring-j aw 3a which is provided at the initial point of operation. Assuming the machine to be in full operation, the dies perform operations of three different stages) upon three needle blanks at each descent of-the cross-head B. As the cross-head rises, the guide-member I is lifted through the medium of the crosshead I which is carried by the frictionally' lifted stem I While this action occurs, the pin 28 of the cam J moves idly in the lower vertical portion 27 of the guide-slot of the camarm J Thereafter, the stem 1 slips through the friction-device I and the needle-carrier Gr being now in elevated position is shifted rearwardly through the medium of the slide H which is actuated by the lever H it being understood that the cam-stud 28 is at moves idly in the upper vertical portion 26 p of the cam-slot in the arm J and after the needle-carrier has been lowered so that its jaws will clear the needles which have now been deposited in the stationary jaws, the cam-stud 28 operates through the inclined portion 25 of the cam-slot, thereby shifting the slide J rearwardly and moving the lower carrier forwardly. It, may be noted that the slippage mentioned occurs when the cross-head P encounters the bed A on the up-stroke,'and when the member I encounters said bed on the down-stroke of the machine. 1 r I V In their step-by-step movement through the machine, the needle-blanks are operated upon by the'pairs of dies, in succession; and, finally, the needles'are dropped by the carrier'upon the die-block D and guide-block E, from which they may'slide or tumble in a suitable receptacle (not shown). 7 It will be recalled, in this connection, that the bed-plate of a machine ordinarily inclines rearwardly and downwardly somewhat, so that there is no dilliculty in effecting discharge ofthe needles from the ma-- chine.

The machine described is simple and durable, of large capacity, andwell adapted row of companion dies, a series of stationary needle-holding devices corresponding in position with the series of stationary dies, a needle-carrier adapted to vertical movement and also to rearward and forward movement, means carried by the cross-head serving in the raising-and lowering of said needle-carrier, and means carried by the cross-head serving in the operation of shifting said carrier rearwardly and forwardly.

2. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of-a bed,a series of hookforming and trimming dies mounted thereon, a reciprocating cross-head, equipped with a series of cooperating hook-forming and trimming dies, a series of stationary needleholding devices arranged opposite the several'stationary dies, a needle-carrier equipped with a plurality of needle-holding devices adapted to be brought into registration with said stationary needle-holding devices, and devices actuated by said crosshead and serving to raise said needle-carrier, shift the same rearwardly, depress said needle-carrier and shift the same forwardly.

3. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a series of stationary dies, a reciprocating cross-head equipped with a plurality of companion dies, a series of stationary needle-holding jaws, a needlecarrier equipped with a corresponding series with a plurality of companion dies, a serles' of stationary needle-holding jaws, a needle carrier equipped with a corresponding series of needle-holding jaws, a friction actuated device connected with the cross-head and serving to elevate said needlecarrier, and

mechanism actuated by said cross-head for shifting the needle-carrier forwardly and rearwardly. i

5. In a machineof the character set forth, the combination of a series of stationary dies, a reciprocating cross-head equipped with a plurality of companion dies, a series of stationary needle-holding jaws, a needlecarrier equipped witha corresponding series of needle-holding jaws, a friction-actuated device connected with the cross-head and serving to elevate said needle-carrier, a lever serving to shift said carrier rearwardly and forwardly, a slide serving to actuate said lever, and a cam device actuated by the cross-head and serving to actuate said slide.

6. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a bed-plate equipped with a series of hook-forming and trimming dies, a reciprocating cross-head equipped with a series of companion dies, a series of stationary needle-holding jaws at one side of and corresponding in position with said stationary dies, a needle-carrier provided with a series of jaws corresponding with said firstnamed-jaws,means for raisingand lowering the needle-carrier, means for reciprocating the needle-carrier rearwardly and forwardly, and a pressure-member adapted to maintain the needles in proper position in the jaws as the needles are progressively carried through the machine.

7. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a bed equipped with a series of dies, a reciprocating cross-head equipped with a series of companion dies, a stationary plate equipped at its upper portion with a series of narrow jaws adapted to engage the flattened portions of needles, a stationary member at some distance from said plate and equipped with a plurality of jaws adapted to receive the shanks of the needles, an interposed needle-carrier equipped with a plurality of jaws corresponding with said firstnamed jaws, means for elevating and depressing the needle-carrier, and means for shifting the needle-carrier rearwardly and forwardly.

8. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a bed equipped with a Series of dies, a reciprocating cross-head equipped with. a seriesof companiondies, a stationary jaw member parallel with. said firstna1ned dies and provided with a series of jaw recesses, a series of spring-fingers associated with said jaw recesses and adapted to serve in positioning the needles, a needlercarrier equipped with a plurality of needle-receiving jaws, means for elevating and depressing said. carrier, means for shifting said carrier rearwardly and forwardly, and a pressure member operating. to depress the needles and cooperating with said fingers in positioning the needles.

9. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a bedtequipped with a series of dies, a reciprocating. cross-head equippedwith a series of companion. dies, a stationary needle holder equipped with a series of jaw recesses corresponding in position with and close to said stationary dies, spring-fingers corresponding with said recesses, a stationary needle-holder at a distance from said first-named needle-holder and provided with a plurality of correspond ing jaw recesses and equipped with a guide flange, a needle-carrier equipped with a series of jaw recesses adapted to register with the jaw recesses of said stationary needle-h0lders,.means for raising and lowering the carrier and reciprocating the same, and a pressure-member adapted to bear on the needles andto cooperate with said spring fingers in positioning the needles so that the extremities of the shanks will bear against said guide-flange.

10,111 a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a bed-plate, a reanwardly-extending, die-block mounted thereon and equippedwith a series of dies, a reciprocating cross-head equipped with a series of companion dies, a guide-block parallel with said die-block; and separated therefrom by a space, a stationary needle-holder disposed near said die-block equipped with a seriesof jaw recesses, a needle-carrier interposed between said needle-holder and said guide-block and equipped with a plu rality of jaw recesses, means for elevating and depressing said needle-carrier, and means for reciprocating said needle-carrier rearwardly and forwardly.

11. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a bed-plate, arearwardly-extending die-block mounted thereon and equipped with a series of dies, a reciprocating cross-head equipped with a series of companion dies, a guide-block parallel with said die-block andseparated therefrom by a space, a stationary needle-holder disposed near said die-block and equipped with a series of jaw recesses, a needle-carrier interposed between said needle-holder and said guide-block and equipped With a plurality of jaw recesses, a vertically movable guide-bar adjacent said guide-block,

means carried by said cross-head for elevating said guidebar, slide connections between said needle-carrier and said guidebar, and means actuated by said cross-head andserving to reciprocate said needle-car,- r-ier rearwardly and forwardly.

12. Ina machine of the character set forth, the combination of a bed-plate, a rear-.

dle-holder and said guide-block and equipped with a pluralityof jaw recesses, a vertically movable guide-bar adjacent said guideblock, means carried by said'cross-head for elevating said guide-bar, slide'connectio'ns between said needle-carrier and said guidebar, a slide mounted on the bed-plate and having slot and groove connection with a member of said needle-carrier, a lever serving to actuate said slide,a slide serving to actuate said lever, and a cam-device carried by said cross-head and serving to actuate said last-named slide. 7

13.In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a bed-plate carrying a die-block equipped with a series of dies, a reciprocating cross-head equipped with a series of companion dies, a guideblock mounted on said bed-plate parallel with said die-block, a vertically movable guide-bar adjacent said die-block, a needlecarrier disposed between the die-block and guide-block and having a member slidably connected with said guide-bar, means for raising and lowering sa1d guide-bar provided with a stem having friction connections with said cross-head,rat.slide disposed:

beneath said needle-carrier and having grooveand stud connection therewith, a sta- V. tionary needle-holder adjacent said ,dieblock, a lever servingv to actuate said slide;

and actuating means for saidlevenincluding a member carried by sa1d cross-head.

14. In a machine of theycharacter set forth, the. combination with stationary nee-' dle-holders provided with a series of jaw" recesses, an interposed needle-carrier provlded with a serles of aw recesses, a fr1c tionally movable guide-bar with which said carrier is slidably connected, a slide adapted to reclprocate sa1d carrler forwardly and rearwardly and havlng vertical slot and stud connections with said carrier, means for reciprocatingsaid slide,:a head carrying said guide-bar, a substantially vertical stem carrying said head, and a reciprocating friction device engaging said'stem.

16. In a machinelof the character set forth, a vertically movable guidebar, a friction-actuated member serving to'elevate and depress said guide-bar, a reciprocating fries tion device serving to actuate said member,

a carrier slidably connected with said guidebar, and means for reciprocatingsaid carrler.

JOHN L. NEEDHAMI Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

r 7 Washington, D. G. i i 

